Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 18:58:34 EST
From: Jetjt@aol.com
Subject: Empire Chapter 50
The following is a work of gay fiction. If you are offended by the subject
matter or are too young, please exit now. This work is the property of the
author and may not be reproduced without permission. John Tucker,
JETjt@aol.com
EMPIRE
Chapter Fifty
EPILOGUE
January 2045, Ron and Matt's home, the Ratt's nest
Ron looked out over the lighted city from his favorite spot in the `Eagle's
Nest', the highest room in their palatial mansion. Looking back as he saw
Matt step off the elevator from the lower floors, he smiled as his partner
of many years joined him.
"Hi Babe," Ron recited the oft repeated greeting.
"Hi back, Poopie. What are you doing up here?"
"Oh, just sitting back reminiscing," Matt's older partner replied. "I was
thinking of how we met and the early years. I was thinking too of our first
generation of boys, and what has happened to them."
"Are you sorry now that you've retired?" Matt asked.
"Not really," Ron replied. "Now I can give you my full attention. Besides,
Ronnie is doing fine as Chairman. He had plenty of practice as President of
Turner Holdings since Will retired 15 years ago."
"He and Jerry are coming over soon. He just called," Matt informed his
partner. As for giving me your full attention, your attention has been
filling me for years," Matt quipped with a wink, "I'm glad you still can."
"Hey!" Ron said feigning displeasure at the challenge to his virility. "The
only `getting up' I have problems with are standing up from a low chair,
but if I really needed to," he said, "I'd take Viagra IV. I wouldn't give
up pleasuring you for anything, certainly not to soothe my
vanity. Fortunately, that's not a problem yet."
"I'd do that too Lover," Matt replied, "because I feel the same way. So
tell me more about your thoughts."
"Sit down on the lounge and let's talk," Ron suggested.
Matt moved to the sofa lounge from his place standing at the windows, sat
down beside his husband and put his hand over Ron's.
"I was just thinking of how it all started so long ago" Ron began, "how I
started chatting with Bryan on the internet, leading to our meeting in New
York."
"Yes, the day of your meal with him was the day before I met you for the
first time," Matt remembered. "I thought you were so handsome."
"I thought you were too. You just blew me away like the hottest thing on
two wheels! You can still turn me on just by looking at me."
"Ah, you were and still are just horny," chided Matt.
"That too," Ron admitted. "It's just that when you walked in with breakfast
that day I knew that there was something more than just a handsome face and
knockout body standing there."
"I didn't know what to think," Matt revealed. "Here you were so handsome
and charming, and obviously rich. I was overwhelmed and awestruck. It's not
like I jumped in bed with all the hotel customers that took my fancy; in
fact, you were the only one."
"That time was incredible," Ron said. "I learned about true friendship from
Bryan, and found love again from you. It changed my life forever and I've
never regretted it."
"I guess I just couldn't believe that you were interested in me," rejoined
Matt. "You had everything and I was just a starving student."
"A very attractive starving student," amended Ron.
"Maybe so, but I was at a pretty low point in my life."
"It got better," Ron said smiling, "just like mine did from that time on."
"Way better love," responded Matt with a smile. "I quickly learned to love
you Ron, and I still love you as much after all these more than 40 years."
"No more than I love you, my Best," Ron said squeezing Matt's hand.
"Do you really think that Rontoo will be alright taking the helm of the
company?"
"Yeah, I'm interested in that answer too," Ronnie said as he and Jerry
entered the room.
Ron looked over at the handsome couple of which he and Matt were so proud.
Ron laughed.
"What's so funny?" Ronnie asked.
"I was just laughing at Matt's use of your `office name'. I was
remembering that when you came to work at the company, you didn't want to
be called Ronnie, but instead insisted that you be called Ron, too. The
name had stuck and everyone now, for years, calls you Rontoo, at least
behind your back."
"I guess I knew that," Ronnie said. "It doesn't matter to me what they call
me, as long as they say `sir'."
"Here's something you might not know, Mr. Goofball, `sir'," kidded
Matt. "Newcomers often thought that the name Rontoo was a verbalizing of
Ron II, but that only led the people who'd been around for a while to
explain the origin of the name. When the boys all get together as a family,
they shorten your name just to `Too'."
"Yeah, they do," Ronnie said, "but I thought that was just a family thing."
"I suspect you've been talking about old times," Jerry surmised, changing
the subject.
"Yeah, we were talking about when we met," Ron said.
"At first you must have thought I was a wanton hussy," Matt laughed.
"I seem to recall that maybe for the first time or two I thought you had a
voracious appetite for sex," recalled Ron, "but I must admit I did too. I'd
been alone too long."
"Don't give me that," Matt countered. "You're making yourself sound like a
monk. I know better."
"Yikes!" Ronnie said. "I'm not sure we should be here Jerry. I mean, I know
they're gay and all, like us, but it just seems strange hearing your folks
talking about them having sex."
"Well it might be stretching the truth a bit to be characterized as a
monk," Ron said ignoring their son and capitulating. "It's just that it was
such a short time later when I began to know the real you. It was then that
our sex life lost its frenzied edge and became something so much more, an
expression of our real love for each other, a love that I feel as deeply
now as I ever did."
"Yes, it developed into something wonderful, something I never knew
existed."
"Yeah, that happened to us too," Jerry said with a smirk, "around the time
we were about 30."
Ron and Matt cracked up as Ronnie blushed.
Changing the subject, Matt asked, "Do you know when Bryan is going to
retire?"
"I think very soon," Ron guessed. "Alan has been retired now for five years
and Bryan is 65. Alan's health isn't that good and I know Bryan wants to be
with him more and perhaps travel for awhile while Alan still can."
"How old is Alan now?" asked Matt.
"I believe he's 77," Ron remembered.
"He still gets around pretty well," observed Matt.
"Yeah, he didn't retire because he couldn't do the job anymore. He wanted
to write. That first book he wrote after he retired sold very well. I read
it. It was very entertaining and quite an eye opener. It was really a
memoir and reflected some very entertaining and, conversely, some very
tragic occurrences in his career in social work."
"When I retire next month, I'd like to read it," Matt said.
"You'll find it quite good. His second book has become a standard textbook
in virtually every university that offers a serious degree in social
work. Now he's working on a third one. I'm not sure what it's all about
yet," admitted Ron.
"There's no doubt in my mind that he's the country's foremost expert in the
Social Work field. He's been amazing to work with. He not only knows how to
lead the largest private social work trust in the world, but he's an expert
at making every dollar count."
"Those guys are two of your very best friends," Ronnie interjected. "Rich
and Brandt are neat guys too."
Ron and Matt both nodded, picturing in their minds the family that was like
one of their own.
"What are the latest numbers on the Trusts?" Ron asked. "I know you watch
that stuff and I watch it too, but the Friendship Trust is somewhat
autonomous, and I've kept up less with it than I used to with all the other
things we've had going on. With retirement coming up, I really have lost
track lately."
"You don't need to watch it Babe," Matt said smiling, "that's what you have
me for. The Friendship Trust has around $40 billion in assets and has a
vast array of programs utilizing around $4 Billion a year from that Trust's
investments. The Turner Charitable Trust is much larger yet. It has nearly
$470 billion, of which around $15 billion is in the Thornton Trust, $100
Billion in the Medical Research Trusts, $140 Billion in the Arts Trust and
most of the remainder in investments for charity. We also have around 500
billion in Retirement Trusts through Turner Investment Bank. That money is
not ours, of course, but it earns about $100 million for us each year. Of
course a few billion dollars doesn't buy what it used to," he laughed.
"Amen to that," Ron agreed with a laugh.
"As you know," Matt continued, "the Thornton Trust has funded at least one
campus for Gay youths in every city in the country with a population of
more than 250,000. In 8 cities it has two or more centers. It funds too,
nearly 300 gay crisis hotlines for troubled young people, which are
operated mostly with volunteers. The balance of the Turner Charitable Trust
funds social operations in every state except Wyoming, and North Dakota."
"How much did you say we had in the Arts Trust now?" Ron asked.
"Around $140 billion," answered Matt. "There is around $60 billion in fixed
assets like museums, theaters, opera houses and artwork, and around $80
billion in invested capital. Those invested assets produced nearly $9
Billion in operating, acquisition, and grant funds last year. As you well
know, most art endeavors are not moneymakers. We have many fully funded
operations. Some of them make money but many don't. Our investment in
Broadway-caliber shows has been one of our better moneymakers. Over the
last 40 years, we've probably earned nearly $4 billion from that source."
"Wow!" Ron exclaimed. "I didn't realize we'd made that much!"
"Yes, Nathan is an expert at picking out winners."
"Do you think that George Bowles will replace you as the chairman of the
trusts when you retire?" asked Ronnie.
"Yes, for a while, but I suspect it will be up to you" Matt answered. "He's
already President of the Turner Trust and Nathan is the Vice President of
the Turner Trusts and CEO of the Arts Trust. George will succeed me and
Nathan will move up to George's present position. George will probably
retire too within 5 years, then Nathan can move up to his spot unless he
wants to retire with George."
"They make such a handsome couple," Ron reflected.
"Yes, the best thing that ever happened to Nathan was to go to work for
George," declared Matt. "They not only have a wonderful marriage, but are
an awesome team at work."
"Tyler told me this last week that he's thinking of retiring soon too," Ron
related.
"Wow," it won't be long before the second generation is running
everything," Matt said.
"And the third generation is ready after us, Grandpa," Jerry said laughing.
"Well, we started young," Ron retorted, causing Matt to laugh even harder
in agreement. When Bryan retires, who will succeed him at the Friendship
Trusts?" Ron asked, changing the subject.
"Alan's son Rich, I think, and he's got a protégé in Bryan's nephew,
Pat. He's the son of Bryan's brother Dick, the President of Construction
Leasing. Pat's only 30 but loves working with his Uncle Bryan and cousin
Rich."
"It was really a shock for Bryan when his father Richard died," Ron
said. "I thank the Lord that I was instrumental in bringing them together
after their estrangement. I was so afraid that Richard would wait until it
was too late to accept Bryan's sexuality. They ended up with 20 good years
as a loving father and son rather than a late, death-bed reconciliation
filled with regret."
"Did Tyler tell you when he's going to retire?" Ronnie asked with a
troubled look on his face. "Will Dan quit working too?"
"I don't know, and I doubt he knows either," replied Ron. "I think it may
be just talk. He really should though. He and Dan are no spring chickens
either. In my opinion Jerry and Zack are ready to replace both of them."
"Thanks," Jerry said. "I think Zack and I make quite a team and we love
those companies.
"I agree that you guys do a great job," Ron continued as he shook his
head. "It's truly amazing what happened as a result of those two companies
over the last 40 years,"
"There's no doubt that they've changed the world," Ronnie agreed. "Crude
oil needs of the world per year now are less than 10% of what they were in
the year 2000, but the energy requirements of the world are 10 times
greater, principally because of third world growth".
"I'm glad that Tyler and Dan didn't kill themselves with those two
companies in developing the technologies," Ron said. "We now receive 45 %
of our net income from licensing agreements for those basic patents, even
though Turner Holdings, the parent company, is by far the largest
conglomerate in the world by any measurable standard. Tyler and Dan were
particularly smart to keep the licensing costs of those technologies very
low. It avoided a lot of pirating of the technologies and allowed everyone,
even the most backward countries to benefit. Every country that borders an
ocean or a large body of water has blossomed from using that water cheaply
with the Eden technologies. Every country, no matter how small has
prospered too, with the hydrogen fuel and power generation of Genesis'
patents."
"All those other patents from their research didn't hurt either," Ronnie
reminded his father. "There's very little we take for granted today as
commonplace, that hasn't been affected in some way by those three original
guys and their teams of researchers. My guess is that we've earned at least
$80 Billion off of their continued research."
"There are still plenty of problems to overcome," Ron rambled on. "Asia is
still fighting overpopulation, with only the Chinese really having a good
handle on it, due in part to the AIDS epidemics there. In other countries
that still are slow on growth, despotic rulers have been the greatest
hindrance to their own population's prosperity. In spite of that, there are
literally no countries whose standard of living is not incredibly higher
than it was 40 years ago. Africa is still recovering from the AIDS, AIDS II
and AIDS III epidemics with a decrease in population of 45% from the year
2000. Southeast Asia has a smaller population too than it did then, but
only by about 10%. We can be proud of our Medical Trust's research grants
to stop those epidemics. The Super Inhibitors ended up doing the
trick. When a person was infected, the S.I.'s simply stopped the
multiplication of the viruses and the administration of the drugs could be
stopped when all the infected cells had died and were replaced with new,
healthy cells. Now with the new vaccines that have been developed, AIDS is
about on the same scale as smallpox.
"I wish cancer could be wiped out as thoroughly," Matt offered.
"Yes, but it's far less fatal than in the past," Ron said. "With the advent
of the yearly warning inoculations, detection is much faster, and with the
new inhibitors the rampant spread of the disease can be stopped. Successful
treatments for certain types of cancer are approaching 100%. Some of the
historically deadly ones still take lives, but the deaths from even those
are becoming rare. With care for virtually all diseases vastly improved,
the average life span in this country has increased by 15 years and in some
of the historically underdeveloped countries by as much as 30 years."
"Don't forget the strides against aging and Alzheimers," reminded Matt.
"Yeah, I can see why that would concern you old fogies," Ronnie quipped.
"Hush, young 'un," Matt said. "When we were all a lot younger and the
average life-span kept increasing, the probability of living with a mind or
body that was incapable of functioning properly became a serious
problem. It still happens, but not so early in a person's life."
"Yes," Ron interjected, "with better understanding of the aging process,
people who are 80 now are physically and mentally more like those who were
60, forty years ago. Early detection and treatment of Alzheimers has
reduced its damaging effects. Memory enhancing drugs have helped to
overcome memory loss too."
"At least Social Security didn't collapse like it was predicted," Matt
said.
"That's true," Ron affirmed. "George W's retirement investment program
helped immensely with that, even though I originally opposed it. The
program's initial formulas never quite made sense because of the risks
involved in stock investments. With our jumping in and getting involved
along with a huge consortium of business people, as well as future
recipients, the investments into the private sector could only be done
through giant companies with huge assets that would guarantee minimum
return of 6% compounded. Those companies could withdraw from the program
but not without making good. Fortunately, many of the billions invested
went into the development of energy and water resources that either
directly or indirectly helped us as a source of funding. The Turner
Retirement Investment Trust, developed by Turner Investments, invested
solely in the new technologies, and earned a net average of 8 % per year on
the investments, compared to a 40 year average increase of the cost of
living of 3.3% per year. That meant that a person who paid around $25
every week into their private retirement fund starting at age 20 would have
paid into the fund $58,500 at age 65, but would draw out $50,000 per year
in 2005 dollars, or about $200,000 in today's dollars since the cost of
living has quadrupled in that period. In addition, because $25 a week is
less than they would pay as Social Security tax, they still pay the
difference to the government and if they were, in the beginning, making
$35,000 a year, they would still get additionally around $2000 a month in
today's dollars from Social Security when they are fully eligible. Not bad
for diverting less than $25 a week that they would have had to contribute
anyway!"
"The best part is that if they die at any time, their beneficiaries would
get back anything they had contributed plus accumulated interest rather
than the pittance Social Security pays as a death benefit. Even at the
minimum 6% they would be much better off than with Social Security
alone. Today there is no reason that a retiree should suffer if he had a
reasonable working career and is reasonably healthy."
"I'm glad that health care costs as a percentage of retirement income have
dropped too," Matt commented.
"Yes," Ron agreed, "The major concerns of the elderly: health care,
housing, and energy costs are now in tune with the cost of living
increases, not driving them." Ron agreed.
"Wow!" Jerry said. "I wasn't aware that you were that involved with it. I
guess I was just too busy learning about the hydrogen business."
"Having Eddie as a U.S. Senator from Nevada has helped with that agenda,
especially in the last dozen or so years. Yes, and having Tommy from Texas
there has helped too."
"That career path has made it very difficult for Eddie and Zack's
relationship though," observed Matt. "They get to see each other less than
half of what a normal married couple would but they seem to have worked
around the difficulties. There is no indication that they are less than
happy."
"True love conquers all," Ron said with a wink.
"Don't worry about Zack," Jerry said. "I work with him all the time, and I
know that he and Eddie are very happy. Zack has spent a lot of time as a
congressional liaison between the two companies and the Feds so they see
each other more than you might think."
"I'm sure that's true," concurred Matt, "and I'm glad that the relationship
between Carl and David worked out too. With them still living in Atlanta,
we don't get to see them enough."
"That's true of all the boys to some degree or another," Matt said
wistfully. "With every one living their own lives and being busy with their
own partners or families, we don't get to see any of the original boys
enough socially."
"We do try to get together as much as we can," Ronnie said defensively. "I
just don't know how you guys, along with Tyler and Dan, did it all."
"We were a lot smaller then," Ron said. "We were only approaching our first
$1 Billion in assets when you came along. Now our holdings, plus the
Trusts, are worth over $3 Trillion. It takes a lot of people and time to
manage those kinds of assets.
"It's true that we don't get to see everyone enough. That includes what I
think of as the second and third wave of boys and I'm sure will be a way of
life pretty soon with the fourth wave of boys who are now our sons," Matt
replied.
"Yes, we have quite a family," Ron agreed. "In the first wave, there were
you, Rontoo, Douglas, Carl, Nathan and Eddie, along with Tyler and Dan's
Zack, and of course you Jerry." Then 5 years later when Douglas, Carl and
Nathan had left home, the second wave started."
"Perry, Charlie and Al were in that next group, with Tyler and Dan's
Freddie and Terry," Matt recited.
"Then around 6 years after that Harry, Johnny, and Brad entered our lives
in wave three," Ron counted. "That's when Tyler and Dan adopted Brent,
Foster, Ben, and Gary,"
"Yeah, that was T and D's largest family," Matt remembered aloud.
"Then we had a lull for awhile," Matt added.
"Yep, over 20 years," Ron said with a laugh. " I thought you had lost your
mind 4 years ago when we started with wave four. Now Stan, Ronthree, and
Jeffie are about to leave the nest. I'm glad now that you talked me into it
Lover, even though Tyler and Dan decided to pass on the last wave. Let's
see, how many does that make?"
"Fourteen for us, eleven of which we formally adopted and three we
couldn't," Matt responded. "Tyler and Dan had eight and adopted 7 of them.
"Hey don't forget our families, and their families," Jerry reminded.
"Jeeze," Matt sighed. "I'm not sure how many grandsons and grand nephews we
have now. It's somewhere around 30, I think. I'd have to count. Then there
are about 40 Great-grand-guys so far, and even a few Great-greats," Matt
laughed as he thought of the huge family. Gay guys who adopt teens have a
much shorter generation cycle than people who raise families the old
fashioned way from scratch. I think our guys have picked up our knack for
creating a family in the gay sort of way."
"Yes we all know that the `back-door approach' doesn't work," Ron
chuckled. "I think we have about 35 or 40 out of all of those guys working
in our company. Most of the rest are doctors, lawyers, politicians and
artists. A few are choosing careers of a less `professional' nature, but
it's their choice. There's not a bum in the group though, regardless of
their backgrounds or present occupations."
"Yes, there were plenty of bumps in the road while they were living with
us, but we can be proud of all of them. Of course we had our share of great
times as well as tragedies," Matt recalled.
Ron paused in thought, before continuing. "Remembering back, I can't help
but think of those we've lost, both family and friends," he said with a
tear in his eye.
"Yes, we can never forget Douglas or Freddie or Johnny." Matt declared. "We
lost Doug to cancer, Freddie to a terrorist attack when he was in the
Service, and Johnny in a car accident."
"Yes," Ron said, his mind picturing the faces of the boys they had loved
and lost. "We've lost friends too."
"Yes, first your lover in college, then Ted Thornton, Barry Young, Emma
Thorsruud your grandmother Jerry, and of course our son Douglas, all in the
early years. Later Scott Telford from Anguilla, Mr. Peterson, Will Nuggent
and Bryan's father Richard, all with the company, come first to my mind,"
Matt responded.
"Yes, there are a dozen more down a step or two from upper management." Ron
said. "Then from here we lost Dorothy in 2006 and Parker and Mary after
wave three of the boys had left home. The house has never quite been the
same as when they were here."
"I have to agree with that," Ronnie said. "They were like grandparents to
us boys."
"Ken Friday too," Matt said. "I can't believe what a difference he made
over the years in so many boys' lives from Thornton."
"Yes," Ron said with a smile through his sober memories, "There must be 20
tire store managers or better from Thornton. Ken built his own small
business empire, and brought along a lot of boys with him to success."
"There are at least 20 in our companies from Thornton too," Ronnie
reported.
"It seems to me with all of those missing, there are still plenty of our
friends around," Matt said on a more upbeat note. "Except of course for Ted
Thornton, the rest of the original whiz kids are still with us, then
Margaret and Jan too, except they've retired. In Houston, Tony and Jake are
still running camps, but now there are, at last count, over 50 of them."
"Captain Larson is retired too, but stayed in Florida with his boys, Tony
and Hans," Ron said then laughed. "Ha! Boys... those kids must be in
their 50's now. It's hard not to think of them as they were when they were
young."
"That's the way I think of them too," Matt replied. "I can't believe how
rich they have all made our lives."
"I'm glad you feel that way," Ronnie said with a smile. "Virtually all of
us came from difficult or tragic backgrounds. You guys, with Tyler and Dan,
gave us real hope for our lives. We all love you and are deeply grateful. I
think I can say that for all the guys who call you Dads."
"Thanks, and yes those were great times but we had our share of villains
too," Ron remembered. "First there were the guys that killed Ted Thornton,
then I took on Richard, Bryan's father, who in the end overcame his
homophobia and regained the love of his son."
"Yes," Matt agreed. "Remember Fat Charlie? Yikes! Just thinking of him
still gives me the creeps!"
"Don't forget the Clark Brothers, and worst of all Christine, their
cousin," Ron continued, "I don't know if I've ever, before or since, met a
whole family so full of hate. Their whole life was ugly and tragic, and
they all met a tragic end."
"Senator Young was no slouch himself." Matt added. "His was a story of
religion taken to an extreme. Poor Benny, he was such a sweet boy to have
such a demon for a father. Not only was he beaten and thrown out, but later
was kidnapped in the Senator's evil plot."
"You would never know it now," Jerry interjected. "He's one of our favorite
guys, one of the few you guys didn't adopt."
"Very funny Jerry," Ron said after his laughter subsided. Let see...Then
there was Tom Stanley."
"Yeah, I'd forgotten about him," Matt said, "though I must admit I remember
him without fondness whenever I get an old-age ache or two where he hit
me."
"What ever came of his weird monastery sentence?" Ronnie asked.
"Almost unbelievable to me," Ron reported, "he served his sentence and
stayed on there in the monastery. I guess his problem really was the
chemical balance in his system. Tom died last year. There is more to his
story though. The young boy he molested became a Bishop in the Catholic
Church, and has had a stellar career. He called me the other day and we had
a nice talk. The Church has changed its attitude a great deal since those
days, in spite of the scandals that occurred."
"Yes, at first they banned gays from the Priesthood, then they did an about
face, and not only allowed gays, but also women into the church
leadership. Their dogma today is accepting gays as normal humans, worthy
and loved by God," Matt said. "The most amazing thing of all is that
Priests can now marry as they did in the early days of the church. Many
priests choose not to, of course, but at least now, one does not have to be
single to be ordained and serve."
"So many things have changed from our early days together," Ron added, "and
most of it is for the better too, I think."
"I agree, with one major exception," Matt stipulated.
"Oh? And what would that be?" asked Ron of his lover.
"The music they play now!" exclaimed Matt. "Yikes! That Boop-Beep stuff
sounds like two garbage can lids crashing together! I don't know how
today's kids can even dance to that stuff!"
Ron laughed.
"Twenty years ago, I would have argued with you about that," Ronnie said,
his laughter joining that of his father.
"My dad used to say the same against Rock and Roll. I loved the Doors when
I was little, and Jimi Hendrix and... Well I could go on and on," Ron
stated. "If my dad came in and it was playing, it went off at once, I
guarantee you."
"I guess we did a bit of that with the boys," Matt confessed, "starting
with that Rap crap! I just never understood the attraction to that kind of
mindless music."
Ronnie and Jerry neither confirmed nor denied the observation, feeling it
was politically expedient to ignore the comment.
"Different strokes..." Ron concluded.
Ron and Matt turned as they heard the elevator door again open.
"Hey Bros!" Tyler said as he and Dan entered the `Eagle's Nest'. "Hi Guys!
What are you all up to?
"Just sitting here thinking about the old days," Matt said as he and Ron
got up, along with the boys, and hugged the newcomers.
"Yes, we've lived through some exciting times," Tyler said. "You got
anything to drink up here?"
"Sure," Ron replied heading for the small bar hidden in a corner of the
large room. "The usual?"
"You've been asking me that for over 40 years brother," Tyler laughed. "And
the answer has never changed: Yes, Scotch and water! God, you're a slow
learner."
"We'll just have bottled water Dad," Ronnie said for himself and Jerry.
Ron snickered as he mixed the drinks for the four of them, retrieved the
water from the bar refrigerator, then placed them all on a tray and,
picking it up, walked over to where the other four had settled down in
chairs next to the sofa-lounge near where Matt was again seated waiting for
his lover.
"You know what the most amazing memory is for me?" Tyler asked his brother
as Ron set the tray down on the coffee table and handed the drinks around
around.
"No Tyler. I have no idea," Ron admitted.
"It was when we discovered we were brothers. You can't know how happy it
made me. What was equally amazing was your acceptance of me as your
brother, sharing all you did with me and bringing me into your life as both
a brother and a business partner. I went from just making my way through
life, to a life full of adventure, love and caring. It was not long after
that when I met Dan. With that my every dream came true and from then on,
my life has been truly complete."
"Thanks Baby," Dan said, placing a quick kiss on Tyler's lips, "but don't
forget the boys."
"They were the frosting on a perfect cake," Tyler summarized. "Yet we both
knew that they would leave us and move on. They did, then we got more, and
then MORE!"
Tyler laughed at his own words, which he had emphasized with increasing
gestures of his arms.
"You loved every minute of it, Baby," Dan challenged his mate.
"Yes, I did, and Brother Ron and Matt did too," said Tyler.
"That's a positive," Ron agreed.
"Well the two of us are glad of that," Jerry said smiling, "although I've
never heard myself described as frosting before."
"You're plenty sweet enough for me," Ronnie said to his mate.
"Hey Bro," Ron said to his brother, "I got a great idea for a new company!"
"I thought you were retiring," Ronnie said.
"Hush, don't interrupt a genius at work," Ron chided.
"Okay," Tyler bit, "what do you want to do now?"
"I think we should manufacture hot sauce!"
"Hot sauce? Whatever for?" Dan asked.
"Hey, it's a great idea; we'll save millions in advertising! We'll call it
`Lucky Spike' and our advertising slogan will be "Lucky Spike means fine
Tabasco!"
Matt, Tyler and Dan broke up in laughter, while the `younger' guys just
looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
"It's an old guy's joke," Ron explained. "When you get older I'll tell ya.
Anyway, what brings you over tonight, I mean except for the pleasure of our
company?" Ron asked his brother and his lover.
"That too," Tyler quipped. "Dan and I were talking about a nice cruise on
the PT IV in the Caribbean in February. Would you guys like to go?"
"Well, I'll be free then," Ron said, "Matt, how about you?"
"I can probably arrange it," agreed Matt. "I'm trying to extricate myself
from the daily work at the office anyway. Let's plan on it."
"I'm sure Jerry and I will be busy, at least right now," Ronnie
declined. "That is if the invitation included us."
"Of course it did," Tyler said. "I think it would be great if the whole
first wave came with their spouses. If we took everyone in all four waves
plus their spouses and children, etc., it would take a cruise ship!"
"We can ask the wave one boys, if they can come too, so much the better"
Dan said enthusiastically, "I'll call Hans and ask him to come up with the
itinerary."
"Let's make sure we go to the island," Matt requested. "I'd like to spend a
few days there."
"Me too," Dan seconded the suggestion. "I love how we left most of it
natural. It's become a real wildlife sanctuary."
""I'll wildlife you Baby," Tyler said with a wink. "We'll, we'd better get
going lover boy, we'll see you guys tomorrow. Thanks for the drink."
"Anytime brother," Ron said with a smile.
"We need to go too Dads," Ronnie said. "It was great to see you all
tonight."
"Bye guys," Ron said. "We'll walk you out.
The six men boarded the elevator taking them to the ground floor where they
would exit. After exchanging hugs, Ronnie and Jerry got into Ronnie's
Mercedes and departed down the long drive, then Tyler and Dan climbed
aboard their golf cart for their own short trip home. After they were all
gone from sight, Ron and Matt decided to call it a night, and walked back
inside heading for the elevator to their bedroom suite.
"Ready for our shower?" Matt asked as the hall door closed and he began to
disrobe, placing his garments in the hamper after removing the items in the
pockets.
"I'm always ready to shower with you Babe," Ron replied smiling as he
pulled on his belt buckle.
Matt turned on the shower and waited a short moment for the water to adjust
to the proper temperature. Ron was right behind him as he stepped into the
enclosure and under the warm water spray. Ron stepped up until he was
touching Matt, wrapped his arms around his love and pulled him close, his
large erection pressing against his partner.
"I'm glad you're excited to see me," Matt teased as he turned around and
pressed his own swollen member alongside that of his partner in life.
"I'm always excited to see you Mattie, even after all these years," Ron
said with a look of love and a bit of lust showing on his face.
"Maybe we could do an all-nighter tonight," Matt suggested temptingly.
"What would we do after the first hour?" Ron kidded.
Matt laughed. "Always the jokester," he said. "It's one of the things I
really love about you."
"I hope you love more than that," Ron said continuing his attempt at humor.
"There's very little about you I don't love," Matt replied. "We've had such
a wonderful life together; I thank God for it, and for you, the source of
it every day."
"Sweet man," Ron said tenderly, "we think alike in that regard. I love you
still, more than I could ever express. Tonight, looking back on our life
together, I couldn't help but mentally thank the Lord for every minute
we've been together."
Matt leaned in and the two lovers' lips made soft contact. After a moment,
Matt pulled back.
"It's my turn to wash you first," Matt said, changing the subject with a
gleam in his eye. "If we hurry just a little bit, we can finish up the
preliminaries in here in a half hour or so, and get to the main feature, in
there," he said turning his head toward the bedroom.
"You want to wash this old tired body?" Ron joked. "It's not as firm as it
used to be."
"That's not the part that I care about being firm," Matt retorted.
"I can relate to that," Ron laughed. "Do your damnedest."
"Turn around Babe. I'll start on your back. I'm saving the best part for
last!" Matt said with a lustful grin.
* * *
Two hours later, Ron and Matt's bedroom suite.
The two hours of intense lovemaking the two partners had exchanged left
both lovers with a sense of total satisfaction and peace that only those
truly in love could experience to the fullest. Having licked and wiped each
other clean of the slippery residue of their lovemaking, the two lovers
held each other, their naked but still trim bodies intertwined.
"Thank you Matty," Ron said softy. "You're so wonderful and I love you with
ever fiber of my being."
"You're just better than ever," Matt replied, his face showing the bliss he
was feeling. "I'm so happy that you love me still. After all these years my
heart wants to sing every time that you hold me like this. I'm yours
forever, for all eternity."
Ron pulled Matt close, placing a gentle kiss on his lover's mouth. Finally,
relaxed and in peaceful harmony with God and with life, the eyes of both
men closed and they fell into a contented slumber.
1:45 AM
The phone rang at Ron and Matt's bedside. Both men groaned at the
interruption of their night of closeness.
"Who can that be?" Ron mumbled as he turned on the dim bedside lamp and
reached for the receiver.
Picking it up, he shook his head to clear his mind before placing the
earpiece against his head.
"Ron Turner," he said.
"Ron, I'm sorry to disturb you so late," the voice on the other end said
apologetically. "This is Detective Perry Chestnut."
"Hi Perry," Ron said in surprise to the retired vice squad detective. "I
thought you were retired. What can we do for you?"
"I am," the ex-Metro officer said. "The young officer who worked for me
before I retired just called. I hate to ask it of you, but it seems that
he has a young boy in his custody........."
***********************************************************
The End
***********************************************************
A message from the Author
I want to thank all my faithful readers who have stuck with me and the
Turner Clan throughout the past three + years. Your e-mails and
enthusiastic responses have seen me through. I thank you all. Several of
you have become good friends over the past years and have encouraged me
more than you could know.
I wish to thank my friend Ryan especially. You were my inspiration and the
friend that Bryan was to Ron. It was for you that this story began.
It would be unkind to say that this was my work alone. My editor, Bill
H. has been with me, almost from the beginning. The many hours he's spent
and the skill he exercised made this a far better work than my poor efforts
could have done alone. Thank you Bill, I say this not only for me but for
our readers who have loved this story.
Finally I need to thank Robb at Crvboy.com and David at Nifty who felt that
this work was of sufficient quality to grace their sites. When I started
posting to the Crvboy site, there were far less than 100,000 `hits' to the
site and I think I was the 6th author posting to it. Now that has blossomed
into a million `hits'. Congratulations, Robb on a fine site.
Where do I go from here? I'll be posting a new story quickly. It will be
called Super Jeff. I have several chapters already written, it will appear
on both Nifty and Crvboy. I hope sometime to get back to posting more
chapters of Ciao too, but I'm not sure when at this point.
Thank you all so much again. I love every one of you. Happy Holidays and
warm HUGs. John Tucker (aka JET) JETjt@aol.com